Here’s hoping that you and yours enjoyed the long midsummer holiday weekend. A lot of us likely ate (and drank) too much of that fine picnic, spent more time in traffic than you do in your weekly commute and managed to “ooh” and “ahh” with the best of them during the local pyrotechnic spectacular. If he were still alive and painting today, that would probably be the Norman Rockwell view of this particular holiday in the 21st Century.
You could have been among the thousands of folks who lined the waterfront viewing areas of San Francisco, only to have the fog come in heavy and low. That ended the effective viewing area for the fireworks with a much reduced show as the result. Where in the past, three barges of effects had been launched during the show, this year saw only part of one doing it’s thing. Some folks packed up and walked off before the shortened show was over. Too bad that the final few minutes of their day ruined the whole thing…
I spent a quiet, okay relatively (according to this piece from the SF Chronicle at home with the wife and cat. “Il gatto di tutti i gatti” (that’s the cat of all cats in Italian) managed to survive with appropriate distraction now and then. Lots of folks in Livermore also produced their own pyrotechnic aerial displays. Yes, the explosives are illegal here, too and the police/fire departments spout zero tolerance for the media as well. Perhaps it’s a case of too many of the miscreants for the authorities to catch them all…
It’s time for another round of classic films on Friday nights this summer at Oakland’s Paramount Theater . For only six bucks, you just can’t go wrong with these titles:
July 9 — “The Producers” (1968) “I’m condemned by a society that demands success when all I can offer is failure!”
July 16 — “The Wiz” (1978)
July 23 — “The Asphalt Jungle” (1950) “One way or another we all work for our vice.”
July 30 — “Jailhouse Rock” (1957) “Warden threw a party in the county jail…”
August 6 — “Somewhere in Time” (1980) “I am an actress, William, not a doormat. Do not attempt to wipe your boots on me.”
August 20 – “Shaft” (1971) “I get 50 bucks an hour… plus expenses.”
August 27 – “20,000 Leagues under The Sea” (1954) “Got a whale of a tale to tell ya, lads…”
September 17 – “The Candidate” (1972) “You make it sound like a death sentence.”
Now I’m willing to admit that there are some of these titles that I own on DVD, but it’s just not the same at home on the small screen. Watching them as intended by their directors on the big screen at the classic movie palace is the way to do it right.
Some points to note here: The Paramount actually has a role in one of the films being shown in this series. This link from the Oakland Film Office has some views of the theater inside and out. It offers a clue as to which film was shot here. I’ll tell you the answer later on down the page…
And I don’t know about you, but getting the chance to see Disney’s “20,000 Leagues” on the big screen just doesn’t happen all that often in my (even extended) neighborhood. And “Somewhere In Time” still goes down as one of, if not the, most romantic films of the last fifty years. I’m not ashamed to admit becoming misty-eyed while watching Jane Seymour at Mackinaw Island’s “Grand Hotel” while enjoying the great John Barry score. (And for the trivial of mind, did you know that Esther Williams and Xavier Cugat filmed 1942’s “This Time For Keeps” at the Grand Hotel? It took 500,000 gallons of water to fill the hotel’s swimming pool for that event.) The hotel hosts a special weekend of events to commemorate “Somewhere in Time” every October. This year it’s Friday, the 29th through Sunday the 31st, complete with two evening showings of the film. The web pages for the hotel have all the details and prices. If you’ve seen the DVD, there are scenes from one of those past events. Guests tend to dress in period costume to lend an air of authenticity and civility to the proceedings. Hmm, another opportunity to wear that gray tail coat and matching top hat.
Meanwhile, back at the Paramount…
Throw in a stellar performance before the film by Jim Riggs on the Mighty Wurlitzer, a newsreel, cartoons, previews of coming attractions and the perennial house favorite prize give-a-way, “Dec-o-Win” and you are more than ready. With the fine folks on hand ready to serve your favorite beverages (including a smart cocktail or three), this is a night to enjoy with good friends.
Are we there yet?
Looks like Apple’s iTunes Music Store is set to cross the 100 million song sold mark soon. As of noon on Wednesday, July 7, it was over 97.5 million sold and climbing. The expansion into the European market also appears to have been a winner. To celebrate, Apple is giving away 50 iPods, a 17-inch Powerbook and a gift certificate for 10,000 songs. Check their page for the details.
MacWorld Boston is also just around the corner, coming up July 12th through the 15th. Notably absent from the businesses participating will be Apple it’s self. Remember that Apple doesn’t run MacWorld, that’s another company. None the less, expect the faithful to gather.
Good news for those of us who can’t enjoy that Hawaiian plate lunch as often as we would like, at least out west. L&L Hawaiian BBQ’s are popping up in Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California – south and north. Yumola! With great ingredients at reasonable prices, all you need is to put on that favorite Hawaiian shirt, pop in the island CD of choice and head right on down to the local drive-in for a wonderful meal. Easier than the five hour plus flight to the islands, right? Hey, they even have something for the Atkins crowd, and souvenirs, too. Check the web pages for details.
Speaking of details, Trader Vic’s is in the process of hiring the staff for its new San Francisco location. No word on a firm opening date, but I suspect we’ll be enjoying handmade Mai Tai’s and Cosmo Tidbits again in the City sometime this fall!
Okay finishing up today, from the strange and wonderful world of information that is the Internet:
14-year-old murder defendant flees after allegedly placing home confinement device on cat
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Wednesday, July 7, 2004(07-07) 12:20 PDT PRINCETON, W.Va. (AP) —
“A 14-year-old girl under house arrest on charges of murdering her father escaped after cutting an electronic monitoring device off her ankle and gluing it to a cat, authorities said.
Police searched on Wednesday for Kayla Marie LaSala, who fled an uncle’s house early Saturday.
If she thought pinning the device to the cat would fool authorities, it did not work: An alarm went off when a circuit in the device was broken, officials said. But she was gone before police could get there.
“She’s very, very sharp. She’s cunning,” said sheriff’s Detective C. T. Lowe.
Kayla is awaiting trial Sept. 7 on charges of stabbing her father to death in February. Sheriff’s Sgt. A. D. Beasley said the motive for the slaying was unclear.
Lowe said Kayla told family members she planned to escape by July 2. He said the relatives were asleep when she fled. “
Well, now there’s an idea. Maybe I can find out where “il gatto di tutti i gatti” is getting all those extra meals and snacks from. He’s back up to a healthy 15 plus pounds again…
Oh, and the film that used Oakland’s Paramount as a location? That was “The Candidate.” Scenes were filmed in the lobby, the bar, and the theater with the stage. It was a very clever use of one location for a good number of shots. Check it out, the next time you get the chance to see how well it actually plays.
So, that’s another week down the drain or at least gone by. Next week is another turn of the page on the weekly calendar, and all the excitement that can bring. That or another cat toy. Tune in to find out which, why don’t you?
And thanks to everyone who keeps chipping in a few shekels now and then to the JHM Amazon Honor System or Paypal Donation Box. It’s probably the best way to keep us honest, if not off the streets for a while longer.